Make Pallister a one-term premier

135 posts / 0 new

Sat, 2016-04-16 14:27

Aristotleded24

Unless the polls are wildly wrong, Pallister will certainly be elected Premier on Tuesday, the only question is how big his margin will be. We will also face a tough climate in 2020, when Pallister drops the PST to 7% and reminds voters that the NDP broke its promise and raised it, and voters will say, "what a breath of fresh air, a politician who keeps his promises."

So how do we overcome that to not only limit the damage he does to the province but to also show him the door next time?

Issues Pages:

Politics in Canada

Sun, 2016-04-17 14:57

Ken Burch

Massive nonviolent resistance to the coming cuts will be needed, as will the creation of a clear set of grassroots-based alternative proposals to the neoliberal agenda both major Manitoba parties currently subscribe to.

Then, whoever takes over as MNDP leader from Selinger(and he will need to be dumped if he refuses to stand down from the leadership) will need to be pressed to make clean break from the way the party currently operates, so a radical reform movement within the MNDP will need to be organized immediately.

Sun, 2016-04-17 15:15

Ken Burch

(self-delete. dupe post).

Thu, 2016-04-21 12:38

epaulo13

The 2016 Manitoba election and the fight against austerity

quote:

If the NDP wins in 2020 in such a climate, it's very unlikely to reverse much of what the Tories have done while in office (remember that after the NDP won office in 1999 they didn't reverse the privatization of MTS or repeal the Tories' balanced budget legislation, and that what the Tories are going to try to do this time will probably be much worse than what they did under Filmon in the 1990s).

quote:

4. Efforts to build active opposition to austerity will be starting from the very low level of activism that exists in Manitoba today. But they won't be starting from nothing: pockets of activism in union locals and on campuses, the ongoing indigenous resurgence and efforts that bring low-income people together in some Winnipeg neighbourhoods can all be seeds from which protest and resistance can grow....

Organizing

Sat, 2016-04-23 07:19

epaulo13

edit..note time change

After the Election: What Next for Social Justice?

Saturday, April 23

2 PM

The Hive University of Winnipeg Near Ellice Street Entrance.

Join us for a discussion on what the struggle for social justice will look like in a post-election Manitoba.

What do we do now? That's a tough question and probably can't be answered in one evening, but let's get started.

Representatives of Solidarity Winnipeg and the University of Winnipeg Students' Association (UWSA) will make short presentations before we start a facilitated discussion.

After the event is over feel free to join like-minded people for a fun evening out.

Thu, 2016-05-12 23:52

Aristotleded24

[url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/progressive-conservatives-promise... Legislature hasn't even sat and we already have a broken promise:[/url]

Quote:
A review of Manitoba Hydro's massive Bipole III transmission line will be done by the crown corporation's board, not the Public Utilities Board as promised by the Progressive Conservatives.

The $4.5 billion dollar project is nearly half complete. Manitoba Hydro says it is needed to add security and reliability to power transmission in the province and to increase capacity from northern hydro dams.

The huge transmission line project has had a stormy past with critics angered by the route chosen and the costs.

The PUB review was one of the Tories' promises in their "first 100 days of change for a better Manitoba," campaign in the recent election.

...

The group that has been lobbying for the last six years against the new transmission line and the chosen route is not happy to hear that Hydro's own board will re-examine the project instead of the PUB.

Bipole III Coalition vice president Garland Laliberté said just after the election then Premier-designate Brian Pallister told rural newspapers on a conference call that Bipole III was one of the dumbest most poorly considered projects in the history of any government anywhere.

Laliberté says what the new government is doing now isn't what they promised just a few weeks ago.

Wed, 2016-05-18 00:45

Aristotleded24

And so apparently it's going to take [url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/brian-pallister-manitoba-economy-... terms[/url] for the province to become more competitive and to eliminate the deficit. That would put us to 2024. But wait! The Liberals promised to balance the budget in [url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-liberals-release-budget-... with the NDP timeline being [url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/fiscal-update-selinger-ndp-1.3481... The Liberal and NDP timelines came out during the election, the PCs afterwards.

So to reiterate: The PCs, being the ones that are supposedly the best financial stewards, release a plan that eliminates the deficit after everyone else. How the heck? How did Pallister escape scrutiny for being worse on the one thing his party is supposedly the best at? Where was the media in all of this? We heard so much outrage from Tom Broadbeck about how the NDP is ruining the province's finances, will he now direct his ire at the state of the province's books at the incumbent government? Can someone please help me figure this one out?

Wed, 2016-05-18 11:37

kropotkin1951

I presume that was a rhetorical question. It is what drives me crazy about the NDP's obsession with balancing the budget. In BC they have the best fiscal record of any governments over the last 50 years and the MSM always talks about how poorly they manage the provincial books. Its like they keep expecting to get a fair deal from the corporate media so they keep playing the neo-liberal game of "fiscal responsibility" and never dare to dream big and take big steps to change the economy.

Wed, 2016-05-25 14:49

epaulo13

Manitoba Tories ask for unanimous support on Trans-Pacific trade deal

Manitoba's Progressive Conservative government is backing a huge free trade deal among a dozen countries.

Manitoba's inclusion in the Trans-Pacific Partnership or TPP could mean an increase of about $250 million a year in sales for the province's exporters, said Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Cliff Cullen in a news release, while exclusion would cut off access to important trade markets, putting Manitoba jobs at risk.

Besides Canada, the deal includes Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, United States and Vietnam.

Manitoba's pork producers could be big winners in the deal....

Wed, 2016-05-25 18:13

#10

Unionist

epaulo13 wrote:

Manitoba Tories ask for unanimous support on Trans-Pacific trade deal

I'm guessing the NDP will "cautiously" support the TPP - as they did when in government? And Energy East? Etc.

Thu, 2016-05-26 11:41

#11

Unionist

Thanks, epaulo.

On March 31, during the election campaign, the NDP replied as follows to survey questions from the Manitoba Energy Justice Coalition:

Quote:

11. Will you recommend rejecting Energy East to the National Energy Board?

We believe that Manitoba’s submission to the national energy board needs to be taken seriously and will defend Manitoba’s interests for a strong environment and clean water.

12. Will you recommend rejecting Energy East to the Federal Cabinet?

We believe that Manitoba’s submission to the national energy board needs to be taken seriously and will defend Manitoba’s interests to a strong environment and clean water with our federal counterparts.

Thu, 2016-05-26 11:41

#12

epaulo13

Unionist wrote:

epaulo13 wrote:

Manitoba Tories ask for unanimous support on Trans-Pacific trade deal

I'm guessing the NDP will "cautiously" support the TPP - as they did when in government? And Energy East? Etc.

..not sure where the ndp stands today on both those issues. wab kinew though was at catherine mckenna's town hall last night in wpg where most of the folks in the room stood up (over 300 attended) when asked who was against the pipeline. not to mention all the thoughtful and intelligent comments made from the floor re climate change.

Thu, 2016-05-26 11:48

#13

epaulo13

..yes and the ndp did sign on with the other premiers on prioitizing the pipelines..but that bunch is gone. i would certainly like to see this change now that the ndp needs to get back into the good graces of the people.

Fri, 2016-06-10 21:33

#14

Aristotleded24

[url=http://www.winnipegsun.com/2016/06/06/winnipeg-sun-ndp-in-cahoots]Guess who Pallister has accused of being in cahoots with the NDP:[/url]

Quote:
“Well, I appreciate the new alliance between the Winnipeg Sun and the members opposite, I really do. But I don’t know how effective it will be, frankly, because the members opposite didn’t do any organizational review, any performance review, any accountability review, any value-for-money review, for 17 years,” said Premier Brian Pallister during question period on Monday.

Pallister made the remark after interim NDP leader Flor Marcelino quoted from a Sun column that deemed Pallister’s communication style as arrogant. Marcelino then asked, “Will he come clean or will he continue to leave Manitobans in the dark?”

The Sun column, published in Sunday’s paper, accused the government of lacking transparency, with a communications style “somewhere between obfuscation and outright stonewalling.”

You can tell the only reason this guy got elected in the first place is that people really hated Selinger. After promising to take longer to balance the budget than either the NDP or the Liberals, they have had a [url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-savings-pallister-list-1... time defending their so-called savings.[/url]

Of course the NDP is also to blame for this mess. It's true that the April election disrupted the normal budgetary cycle, but that's no excuse. They cannot have been that tone deaf to think they had a realistic shot of winning the election, and if they were then the party has bigger problems. They are simply playing politics with the budget. If they were actually concerned about funding issues, they would have assembled a budget based on their consultations and then run on it, along with a few other things like raising the minimum wage. That would have accomplished 2 things. It would have put the money out there and given us more time to regroup and lobby against the next PC budgets. It would also have forced Pallister to decide whether he wanted to waste political capital on firing nurses, cutting child care spaces, not building the Lorette multiplex, not providing a 24-7 safe space for teenage girls in Winnipeg's West End, freezing the minimum wage, etc.

And what I have seen from Flor Marcelino does not instill a great deal of confidence in this choice. I know she's an interim leader, but why pick someone who never held a major portfolio and never had to answer questions in the Ledge? Aside from [url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/marcelino-health-canada-goertzen-... in trouble with Health Canada,[/url] she has essentially been MIA. Wab Kinew, Nahanni Fontaine, and James Allum have been far more effective in their critiques of the Pallister government. Even Jim Malloway, of all people, has been more vocal and effective, particularly for challenging the MTS sale, and when you're less effective than Jim Malloway, that says something.

Ugh. And we have to put up with this for 4 more years.

Tue, 2016-06-14 17:59

#15

Aristotleded24

[url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/brian-pallister-premier-manitoba-... claims illness prevented attending a vigil for the Orlando massacre victims:[/url]

Quote:
Premier Brian Pallister says he made arrangements not to attend Monday's session of budget estimates in advance, and he didn't attend a vigil for the dozens massacred in a U.S. shooting over the weekend because he came down with a cold.

Pallister has been under fire for a noncommittal response from his staff Monday that he was simply "unavailable" for the legislative work and a vigil in the evening recognizing the victims of the Orlando, Fla., shooting massacre.

Wed, 2016-08-03 03:33

#16

Aristotleded24

[url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/pallister-government-canada-child... does something for poverty reduction:[/url]

Quote:
Anti-poverty groups in Manitoba are praising Premier Brian Pallister's government for pledging to maintain programs for low-income families introduced under the previous NDP government.

...

"We are pleased to confirm that there will be no 'claw back' to the [Canada Child Benefit or CCB] for families that receive EIA benefits or any other income supplement administered by the Department of Families, including Rent Assist, the Manitoba Child Benefit and 55 PLUS. These programs will not consider the CCB as part of their respective income tests and therefore Manitoba families will be able to fully benefit from the new CCB," said a spokesperson for Minister Fielding.

"We are aware that Manitoba faces many economic challenges," said Kate Kehler, executive director of the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg.

Thu, 2016-09-29 01:19

#17

Aristotleded24

So the Legislature resumes sitting on October 3, and to suggest that the NDP will have a difficult time is an understatement. To start, Pallister is [url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/brian-pallister-angus-reid-instit... the most popular Premier in Canada after Brad Wall.[/url] Then there's the [url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-liquor-lotteries-relocat... of the move of Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries to downtown[/url] (although in fairness, while more people working downtown is a plus, the full benefits won't be realized if the staff drive to their suburban homes at 5 PM every week) the [url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-hydro-keeyask-bipole-ian... on Manitoba Hydro,[/url] along with [url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-hydro-rate-hike-staff-cu... hikes and job losses,[/url] and a [url=http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/mpi-to-seek-monster-rate-increase... hike proposed for MPI.[/url] Funny, I thought the PCs were all about keeping money in people's pockets, unfortunately they have done a masterful job of spinning everything around to make it the NDP's fault. Meanwhile, the railway to Churchill is under threat, along with the entire city of The Pas with the difficulties around the Tolko mill, and I'm not aware of the PCs comitting to projects like moving ACC to the North Hill in Brandon or the Merchant's Corner on Selkirk. All with their fear-mongering about the deficit being much bigger than anyone ever anticipated. And who's there to hold Pallister to account? Both the NDP and the Liberals are divided over leadership issues, and the Greens aren't even represented in the Ledge.

Ugh. Just...

Thu, 2016-09-29 09:34

#18

alan smithee alan smithee's picture

You can't spell 'Conservative' without 'Cons'

It's amazing to me how people continue to elect con artists and most of the best ring toss carnies happen to be Conservative.

It's not the politicians that are fucked,it's the people who continue to vote for these shysters.

Fri, 2016-09-30 01:21

#19

Aristotleded24

[url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-deficit-public-accounts-...OH MY GOD! THE LATEST BUDGET FIGURES REVEAL THE DEPTH OF THE CURRENT CRISIS![/url]

Quote:
The Manitoba government is seeing a $166-million improvement in its deficit situation over its own estimates earlier this year.

Finance Minister Cameron Friesen released Manitoba's public accounts for the 2015-16 fiscal year on Thursday, and announced the province's deficit is at $846 million.

That's a $166 million improvement on the number Friesen announced earlier this year, although still more than double the 2015-16 deficit projected by the previous NDP government.

Oh, you mean the current budgeting situation hasn't caused the world to come to an end?

Mon, 2016-10-17 14:25

#20

epaulo13

'It's an attack on workers': NDP pans PC labour bill

A new government bill designed to change the rules about how workers form unions passed its second reading this week. While Tories say it will make the process more democratic, opponents argue it's a concealed attempt to throw obstacles in the path of organized labour.

Bill 7, the Labour Relations Amendment Act, would do away with the long-standing card check system in Manitoba, which allowed unions to form automatically if a super-majority -- 65 per cent -- of workers sign union cards.

Instead, the new rules would require all potential unions to hold a secret ballot vote, which supporters say will protect workers from coercion.

"I think our workers in Manitoba deserve to have the protection it offers, from coercion, from intimidation, from follow-up bullying as a consequence of whether they voted one way or another," said Premier Brian Pallister.

"I think the workers own the right to that ballot, and they own the right to decide whether they publicly disclose how they voted or not," he said.

Critics of the bill point to research that shows successful attempts to unionize drop when the card check system is eliminated, but Pallister said if it happens here, it might be a good thing.

quote:

Attack on labour, NDP says

Opponents of the bill say it opens workers up to intimidation, instead of the other way around.

"The whole point of this bill is it will make it more difficult for workers to organize into a union," said NDP MLA Tom Lindsey. "That in itself is an attack on organized labour."

Sat, 2017-01-21 14:57

#21

bekayne

http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2017/01/20/manitoba-premier-says-indige...

WINNIPEG — Manitoba's premier is being criticized for saying indigenous people shouldn't be night hunting and that the practice is creating a "race war."

Brian Pallister made the comments to fellow Progressive Conservatives earlier this week in Virden, Man.

"Young indigenous guys going out and shootin' a bunch of moose 'cause they can, 'cause they say it's their right, doesn't make any sense to me," he said in a speech, which was recorded by the local radio station CJVM.

"This is a poor practice. A dumb practice ... It should stop.

"So what are we doing? We're organizing to bring indigenous people together and say the same thing I just said to ya, 'cause it's becoming a race war and I don't want that."

Sat, 2017-01-28 22:13

#22

bekayne

Just because he's Premier of Manitoba doesn't mean he actually has to live there

http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/inside-the-costa-rican-retreat-of-man...

Mon, 2017-04-03 14:09

#23

epaulo13

Manitoba Tories ready legislative assault on labour

The Manitoba Tory government has introduced several bills over the last week that freeze public sector wages, reduce the number of bargaining units in health care, the introduction of “ride-sharing” companies like Uber, election law changes and changes to various regulatory acts. All of this is ahead of the provincial budget set to be released April 11. Here is a quick recap of the Bills and the response from the unions in Manitoba.

quote:

Response from labour

The response from the labour movement, in particular the Manitoba Federation of Labour, the Manitoba Government Employees Union and the Canadian Union of Public Employees to the wage freezes has been mostly uniform.

Their main talking point is that the bills undermine the collective bargaining process and that public service employees are willing to help in reducing the deficit but it has to done be at the bargaining table. They point out that the previous NDP government negotiated wage freezes with public sector workers this way.

It certainly doesn’t inspire confidence that the main argument in the face of wage freezes and possible layoffs from the Tories is that workers who’ve already gone through previous years of wage freezes are better served to simply accept more at the bargaining table.

Seventeen years of NDP government has lulled the labour movement into confusing access with influence. It has also dulled labour’s capacity for organizing and building the type of campaigns to defend public services that are desperately needed right now.

Fri, 2017-04-14 18:30

#24

epaulo13

Slay the deficit myth in Manitoba, professor urges on budget day

The new Progressive Conservative government wants Manitobans to believe the province's deficit is a problem. The claim that the deficit for the 2015-16 fiscal year topped the easy-to-remember $1-billion mark is suspiciously convenient. As a Winnipeg Free Press editorial noted, "there is lots of room in the provincial ledgers to move numbers around."

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation, eager to spur the government toward cutbacks, insists the debt is "a heavy burden" and "bad programs, and even some good programs" will have to be eliminated.

But the claim that the deficit is a significant problem for the Manitoba government is a misleading and dangerous fabrication.

The real issue for any government is not the size of its deficit but how much it costs to service its accumulated debt. When governments spend more than they take in in revenue, they sell bonds to raise funds. A government's credit rating affects the rate of interest it has to offer in order to attract buyers for its bonds.

Manitoba's debt servicing costs are eminently manageable. Interest rates are low and all three of the main credit rating agencies that assess provincial governments give Manitoba a good score. Only a minority of provinces are ranked better....

Fri, 2017-04-14 21:07

#25

laine lowe laine lowe's picture

Amazing how many fall for the deficit scare tactic. So stupid but not unexpected. I guess this last budget could have been worse but Pallister sure did go ballistic when it came to paring down Manitoba Hydro.

Sat, 2017-04-15 12:45

#26

epaulo13

..txs laine. it's part of the big lie, isn't it, that is told everywhere. glorified in some cases.

Austerity never ends: Economists say wages are too high

No, you can’t really make this stuff up: Orthodox economists continue to tell us that the reason for ongoing economic stagnation is that wages and unemployment benefits are too high. Yes, that’s right. You haven’t suffered enough.

Given that orthodox economics (or “neoclassical” or Chicago School, if you prefer alternate labels) exists as a propaganda tool to justify all manner of capitalist excesses and inequality, it’s not actually surprising that such snake oil continues to be peddled with a straight face. Never mind the years of stagnant wages, the decades of wages trailing productivity ever further, housing costs rising far more sharply than inflation, and the increased use of debt just to stay afloat....

Tue, 2017-04-18 03:13

(Reply to #26) #27

Aristotleded24

epaulo13 wrote:
Seventeen years of NDP government has lulled the labour movement into confusing access with influence. It has also dulled labour’s capacity for organizing and building the type of campaigns to defend public services that are desperately needed right now.

Thank you so much epaulo for getting to the core of what's wrong with Labour's approach to politics in recent years. The fact is, the vast majority of working people in this province are not covered under any sort of collective agreement, and there has been no significant change to that level of representation in the 17 years the NDP ruled this province. Which begs the question, if the NDP is that much of a friend to the working class, why didn't NDP rule result in a significant increase of union density? Is the union movement in this province making any serious effort to connect with the large numbers of working class not currently unionized? I haven't seen any evidence of such, and unions frankly don't seem to be on people's radar here. I've honestly heard more from Rebeck in the news in the last year than I have in the however many years he was in charge of the MFL before that. There's also the issue of affiliation with the NDP. It's not newsworthy that the MFL supports the NDP, just like it's not newsworthy that business groups tend to support the PCs. This NDP support in the absence of public dialogue opens them to charges of [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQBV6JRwgRM]union bosses calling the shots in the NDP,[/url] a charge that is frankly deserved.

Does the MFL even understand what its own membership is thinking? Does anybody in this province have a clue how many union members voted for Pallister in the last election? As strange as that may sound, remember that in the recall vote in Wisconson, Scott Walker held on in large part becasue of votes from union members. What case could the MFL make against voting for Pallister? Pallister will eliminate card check for union certification. Problem with that argument is that it does not affect those people who are already in unions, and as alluded to upthread, it seems not enough people care about joining unions to make that a sticking point, especially when Pallister frames it as an issue of freedom of choice. I fear this could lead to Pallister making all kinds of anti-union reforms (couched of course in the language of freedom) and then when union leaders turn to their members to fight against this, they may very well respond by saying "we agree with Pallister on this one." (Watch for Pallister and the media to run with stories about workers speaking out against their unions, with their identities concealed because they fear reprisals.) Good luck holding together what unions we have now, never mind expanding the labour movement.

Sun, 2017-04-23 13:17

#28

epaulo13

..i'm thinking things will now change ari. both within labour and the ndp. there is not much choice but to organize and fight like hell. and for the past year or 2 there has been a coming together of indigenous and settler folks similar to what is happening in bc. i've also noticed the incredible work the students at both wpg universities have been doing around this. building a different future i'm thinking.

Group protests new immigration fee

A group of Manitobans said changes to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program are unfair to immigrants and their families.

A small group gathered on the steps of the Manitoba Legislative Building Friday morning to protest a $500 fee the provincial government is tacking on to applications to the skilled worker stream of the MPNP, starting Saturday.

The group also said changes are being made to the application process, making it harder to reunite families.

"Now, they want to put restrictions on family reunification, which we think adds a lot of burden on the immigrants that want to come to the province. And also the ones that want to being their families here," said Lizeth Adila of the Save MPNP Coalition....

Sun, 2017-04-23 13:25

#29

epaulo13

Ideas That Are Bigger Than Us

Join us for a discussion of why society must and can be transformed to achieve social and ecological justice!

Thursday, May 11
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Millennium Library (251 Donald St)
Anhang Room (2nd Floor)

Speakers TBA!

*Accessible Venue*
*Free child-minding provided on-site.*
(Please email [email protected])
*Bus tickets reimbursements provided upon request*

ABOUT
Anti-capitalism, anti-colonialism, ecological justice, mass social movements. Some ideas are so much bigger than us, as individuals or collectives.

Join us for a conversation on how we can think about positive and widespread social transformation.

Sun, 2017-04-30 12:09

#30

epaulo13

Sun, 2017-04-30 12:09

#31

epaulo13

Hundreds of Manitoba nurses rally against health-care cuts

Hundreds of nurses and other front-line workers rallied at the Manitoba Legislature Wednesday about cuts they say could "compromise safe patient care" in the province.

"We want the government to put patients first and focus on making investments and improvements in health care," Manitoba Nurses Union president Sandi Mowat said in a statement.

Protesters, including about 600 nurses, gathered on the steps of the legislative building to oppose the provincial government's plans to close three emergency rooms and trim the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority's budget by $83 million.

Health agencies and Crown corporations have all been ordered to cut 15 per cent of management positions, among other cost-saving measures to the health-care system....

Fri, 2017-05-05 21:26

#32

epaulo13

..was traveling down henderson hwy today and saw yellow signs all along the way re saving the concordia er.

..here's a petition.

Save the Concordia ER

..and here's a facebook page

Save the Concordia ER

Fri, 2017-05-05 21:34

#33

epaulo13

..tomorrow. there's also a march in st vital re mental health. i have no details.

Fri, 2017-05-05 21:36

#34

epaulo13

'Who's going to help them now?': Manitoba cutting airfare subsidy for escorts of northern patients

A northern Manitoba leader says she feels "shock and disbelief" after hearing the provincial government plans to cut an airfare subsidy for those who escort northern patients to medical appointments in Winnipeg.

The province confirmed on Thursday that it will continue to offer the subsidy to patients within the Northern Regional Health Authority, but not to their travel companions.

Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, an organization representing northern First Nations, said she reacted with "shock and disbelief because [these are] essential services that people that don't have other means of getting health care should have access to.".....

Fri, 2017-05-05 22:12

(Reply to #34) #35

Aristotleded24

epaulo13 wrote:
..i'm thinking things will now change ari. both within labour and the ndp.

Absolutely nothing has changed to give grassroots activists within the NDP more say in the leadership selection process, nor is there any formal mechanism to force out a recalcitrant leader.

Sat, 2017-05-06 10:05

(Reply to #35) #36

epaulo13

Aristotleded24 wrote:

epaulo13 wrote:
..i'm thinking things will now change ari. both within labour and the ndp.

Absolutely nothing has changed to give grassroots activists within the NDP more say in the leadership selection process, nor is there any formal mechanism to force out a recalcitrant leader.

..i agree with what you say ari. but that doesn't mean change is not happening. for example look at the first 4 candidates running for the federal ndp leadership..every one of them says no to pipelines. the key is in the movements that by resisting forces positions to change. this is the same thing that happened with the bc ndp. it is the same as i see happening here.

Sun, 2017-05-07 14:12

#37

epaulo13

..went to the no cuts rally yesterday at the forks. max 300 folks came out. this may be considered a good beginning but it is a long way to what will influence pallister. the light that i see is in the broad coalition behind the gathering. hopefully this coalition will grow as well. here's a link to the coalition:

Communities not Cuts

L’Association des professeurs et professionnels de l’Université de Saint-Boniface (APPUSB)
Canadian Federation of Students
Manitoba Child Care Coalition of Manitoba
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) MB
Council of Canadians Winnipeg
Leadnow
Peace Alliance Winnipeg
Manitoba Energy Justice Coalition
Manitoba Federation of Labour

Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU)
Manitoba Library Association
Migrante Manitoba
PSAC Prairies
Save MPNP
Solidarity Winnipeg
United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) 832
University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA)
Unifor
Value Manitoba
Winnipeg Indigenous Rock the Vote
Winnipeg Labour Council

Sun, 2017-05-07 12:19

#38

epaulo13

..jim maloway the ndp mla for elmwood and his campaign is responsible for the signs along henderson hwy.

Keep Concordia ER Open

Sun, 2017-05-07 14:31

(Reply to #38) #39

Aristotleded24

epaulo13 wrote:
Aristotleded24 wrote:

epaulo13 wrote:
..i'm thinking things will now change ari. both within labour and the ndp.

Absolutely nothing has changed to give grassroots activists within the NDP more say in the leadership selection process, nor is there any formal mechanism to force out a recalcitrant leader.

..i agree with what you say ari. but that doesn't mean change is not happening. for example look at the first 4 candidates running for the federal ndp leadership..every one of them says no to pipelines. the key is in the movements that by resisting forces positions to change. this is the same thing that happened with the bc ndp. it is the same as i see happening here.

What do pipelines have to do with a leadership race that's already been decided, which by definition means the NDP still thinks it can get away with not listening to people?

Sun, 2017-05-07 15:15

#40

epaulo13

What do pipelines have to do with a leadership race that's already been decided, which by definition means the NDP still thinks it can get away with not listening to people?

..it has everything to do with it. it's the way forward. the ndp both federally and provincially may always be led by a cabal. there is no point, after understanding this, to just complain about it. a way around this must be found and that lies with movements. they can force the ndp to take positions via a democratic and external processes. the goal is to have community control with or without the ndp's blessing. right now the man ndp needs to get back into the population's good graces. there is opportunity here.

Sun, 2017-05-21 13:25

#41

epaulo13

Bill Would Set Manitoba’s Animal Protections Back By A Decade

There’s a sick feeling of déjà vu for those of us in Manitoba these days. Here’s why.

From 1986 to 1996, the provincial pig industry doubled with the industrialization of animal agriculture and massive support from the then-Conservative government in the form of lax regulations, financial support and trade missions.

Today, Manitoba has the largest pig industry in Canada, producing over 8 million pigs a year – a number which doesn’t reflect the total number of pigs born into the industry, as an estimated 11 per cent die before even leaving the farm.

As a result of the unrestricted growth, Manitoba suffered devastating ecological and social consequences. Lake Winnipeg’s phosphorus load doubled, contributing to deadly algae growth, giving Lake Manitoba the rather dubious title of having the worst algae problem of any large freshwater lake in the world.

In response, a number of non-profit environmental and animal welfare organizations, as well as small-scale, mixed farmers, formed an unlikely coalition to address the issues. Because of all the uproar, in 2006, the province placed a temporary freeze on the construction of new pig barns pending a Clean Environment Commission review of the pig industry.

In 2008, after protracted negotiations, public hearings and demonstrations, the NDP government passed Bill 17 which banned new construction of pig barns in 35 Manitoba municipalities.

quote:

Now, all these protections could be undone with the stroke of a pen.

This past February, the Manitoba government announced its intention to repeal the Manitoba Farm Building Code. Under the new regulations, the requirements for fire stops on load-bearing walls, as well as the requirement for a water supply to fight fires, will be eliminated.

Then, last month, under the guise of “red tape cutting,” Premier Brian Pallister (PC) introduced Bill 24, which calls for the amendment or repeal of 15 pieces of legislation. If adopted, the new legislation would eliminate the ban on the construction of new pig barns and weaken environmental regulations governing the handling and spreading of untreated pig manure.

Tue, 2017-05-23 16:15

(Reply to #41) #42

ghoris

epaulo13 wrote:

Slay the deficit myth in Manitoba, professor urges on budget day

...

But the claim that the deficit is a significant problem for the Manitoba government is a misleading and dangerous fabrication.

The real issue for any government is not the size of its deficit but how much it costs to service its accumulated debt. When governments spend more than they take in in revenue, they sell bonds to raise funds. A government's credit rating affects the rate of interest it has to offer in order to attract buyers for its bonds.

Manitoba's debt servicing costs are eminently manageable. Interest rates are low and all three of the main credit rating agencies that assess provincial governments give Manitoba a good score. Only a minority of provinces are ranked better....

I have been thinking a lot about this issue lately. I have always considered myself a bit of a fiscal hawk and have strongly believed that the NDP needs to have economic credibility with the electorate in order to be successful, but I am increasingly coming around to the view that in an era of historically low interest rates (and continued low interest rates on the horizon) if governments are going to borrow and run deficits in order to fund badly needed investments in public infrastructure and public services, now is the time to do it. How we message this to the electorate is another issue, but I think it's a point that needs to be made. The success of the Trudeau Liberals federally seems to illustrate that the voters are not necessarily as afraid of the deficit boogeyman as we might think.

Tue, 2017-05-23 16:28

#43

epaulo13

..i see nothing wrong with creating debt as long as it is for the betterment of society. meaning no military projects or taxes for the rich. what i do see as a priority related to this is the nationalization of debt. like we used to do. money loaned from ourselves rather than from banks etc. this would always be low interest rates.

Tue, 2017-05-30 16:23

#44

epaulo13

Tue, 2017-05-30 16:58

#45

epaulo13

No Shortcuts

November 2 at 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Winnipeg Public Library

The Winnipeg Labour Council's Education Committee is excited to present Jane McAlevey for a two-part tour. This free public event will be followed by a book launch and public talk at McNally Robinson on November 3rd.

Jane McAlevey is a union and community organizer, author and activist based in the United States. She is a Post Doctoral Fellow in the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School.

A longtime organizer in the environmental and labour movements, Jane is the author of No Shortcuts: Organizing for Power in the New Gilded Age and Raising Expectations (and Raising Hell): My Decade Fighting for the Labor Movement.

..this looks interesting. here's a link re what to expect. i'm looking forward to a discussion on how this applies to manitoba. i'll post this again closer to the date.

No Shortcuts

Fri, 2017-06-23 21:39

#46

epaulo13

Walk the Talk Teach-In

Thursday, June 29 at 6 PM - 8:30 PM

222 Furby St, Winnipeg

Join us for a night of teaching, storytelling, and learning about Indigenous-Settler reconciliation, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and Bill C-262.

Speakers:
Romeo Saganash - Sponsor of Bill C-262, Cree MP for James Bay, invested 23 years in development of UNDRIP

Kathleen Vitt - Participant in 600km Pilgrimage for Indigenous Rights in April 2017, Metis woman, advocate for youth in Winnipeg,

Leah Gazan - Educator at University of Winnipeg, advocate for adpotion and implementation of UNDRIP, member of Wood Mountain Lakota Nation

Wab Kinew - MLA for Fort Rouge, Winnipeg, member of Onigaming First Nation

Mon, 2017-07-10 14:34

#47

epaulo13

Making Feminism a Threat Again

Thursday, August 3 at 7 PM - 9 PM

Workers Organizing Resource Centre (432B Ellice Ave)

Nicole Leach is a community and labour activist from Regina, Saskatchewan, but who is currently based out of Toronto. Nicole is a Co-Chair of CUPE 3903's Trans Feminist Action Caucus (https://3903.cupe.ca/tfac-2/).

What does this mean to those of us who are interested in creating a better tomorrow? Can this better tomorrow be found within the current world economic order? How can feminist voices and demands be included? What does an anti-capitalist anti-racist feminism look like and how can we build it?

Child-minding provided (if possible please let us know in advance if you'll be needing child-minding).

Tue, 2017-07-11 01:15

#48

Aristotleded24

Epaulo, I really admire your dedication and willingness to share strategies that are designed to counter the Pallister government. Unfortunately, there is one big blind spot in your analysis:

Every rural seat in the province is represented by the PCs. Unless the NDP can win some of its rural seats, it does not matter what Pallister does or how many people in Winnipeg disagree with him. He will continue to be re-elected Premier, because Winnipeg is far too divided by class to go back to the Doer-era sweeps. Many people in the well-off areas (think south and west Winnipeg) will swallow whatever disagreements they have with Pallister and vote for his candidates if it means keeping the NDP away from government. I can also assure you that in spite of things like cutting funding for rural doctors and rearranging ambulance service that leaves many rural communities high and dry, that there is no meaningful opposition to Pallister in the rural areas whatsoever. These desicions are not getting traction in rural media outlets at all. Instead, rural PC MLAs are getting press for things like supporting the local 4H club and helping seniors with Alzheimers by supporting a silver alert system. Whatever interactions they have with the media are more likely to resemble a chit-chat between friends over coffee than serious discussion of issues. There is also the "yeah, our MLA's always around, he gets his picture in the paper, he comes out to events, and he's just an all-around nice guy (and yes, I can verify that many of these PCs, when you set aside politics, are very nice guys)" dynamic that keeps them elected. It is true that the First Nations vote throughout the province is not likely to support Pallister, however in rural areas they simply do not have the numbers to overcome the demographic advantage the PCs have, even if voter turnout on First Nations was high, which it is not. This is one of the reasons that the election of 2003 did not turn into the NDP landslide that some predicted it would, because this dynamic was strong enough to resist Doer's charm when Doer was at the height of his popularity.

You want to dislodge Pallister, you have a lot of hard work to do in the rural areas to help win back traditional NDP seats from the PCs. It's the only way forward.

Tue, 2017-07-11 10:56

#49

epaulo13

ari

..while i was born in st boniface, while i cut my political teeth in winnipeg i've spent 35 yrs living in bc. i've been back 3 yrs this past may. what you call a big hole in my analysis is really that i know shit about rural manitoba.

..what i do know is nothing changes without struggle and as you point out hard work. what i have been posting of late is that work. the labour led demos that came early this year have not reappeared since. i watch and wait for them wondering what is going on over there. i watch and wait hoping to hear something substantial from the ndp and wonder what is going on there as well. what i post here is what i believe is both interesting and solidarity building outside of labour and the ndp.

..to add to this i'm a big supporter of niki ashton and especially her strategy of the ndp/movements collaborating. that is if that bridge can be built here in manitoba. no activist i know here wants a prov ndp dominated collaboration. on a final note the treaty alliance against just expanded deeper into the states and now have 130 indigenous groups on board. manitoba plays a big part in this treat alliance. there is potential for confrontation with pallister and co there given line 3.

Wed, 2017-07-12 19:57

#50

epaulo13

..so far kinew is the only candidate. you can check his endorsements on his page.

Leadership 2017

Nominated Leadership Candidates

Wab Kinew
www.wabkinew.ca

July 15

Leadership Candidate Nomination Deadline

NOTE: Leadership Candidate applicants must submit their application in accordance to the Manitoba NDP Leadership Rules. The required application forms and criteria are listed under “Part II – Candidate Nomination Rules”.

Any member in good standing that plans on submitting a nomination application for the Manitoba NDP Leadership must contact Keith Bellamy ([email protected]), Leadership Election Officer, for the required forms.

Wed, 2017-07-19 13:01

#51

epaulo13

..update. finally the ndp site has ashton's name up

Nominated Leadership Candidates

Steve Ashton

Wab Kinew